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Method Article
Pranela Rameshwar
Rameshwar Lab
Corresponding Author
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 License. Read Full License
The tumorsphere assay allows one to assess whether a single cell harbors the potential to both initiate and maintain tumors in the absence of cellular interaction and adhesion. Stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal ability, and unique subsets of cancer cells that acquire stem cell properties have the theoretical ability to form de novo tumors when grown under low-attachment conditions within minimal growth factor supplementation. Primary stem cells and progenitor cells from the breast can be enriched within mammospheres, a concept that is analogous to neural stem cell enrichment in neurospheres. Tumorigenic efficiency of a subset of cancer cells can be determined based on number of spheres that emerge from single cells. On the contrary, cancer cells that lack stem cell properties have limited sphere-forming potential due to telomere loss and cellular senescence.
Keywords
Tumorsphere Passage for Breast Cancer Stem Cells
No conflicting interests.
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Associated Publications
Delineation of breast cancer cell hierarchy identifies the subset responsible for dormancy
by Shyam A. Patel, Shakti H. Ramkissoon, Margarette Bryan, +6
Scientific Reports (05 February, 2013)
An open repository of community-contributed protocols sponsored by Nature Research.
Learn more about Protocol Exchange
Method Article
Pranela Rameshwar
Rameshwar Lab
Corresponding Author
Version History
CURRENT STATUS: Posted
Version 1
Posted 11 Feb, 2013
No community comments so far
Metrics
Comments: 0
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 License. Read Full License
The tumorsphere assay allows one to assess whether a single cell harbors the potential to both initiate and maintain tumors in the absence of cellular interaction and adhesion. Stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal ability, and unique subsets of cancer cells that acquire stem cell properties have the theoretical ability to form de novo tumors when grown under low-attachment conditions within minimal growth factor supplementation. Primary stem cells and progenitor cells from the breast can be enriched within mammospheres, a concept that is analogous to neural stem cell enrichment in neurospheres. Tumorigenic efficiency of a subset of cancer cells can be determined based on number of spheres that emerge from single cells. On the contrary, cancer cells that lack stem cell properties have limited sphere-forming potential due to telomere loss and cellular senescence.
No conflicting interests.
Loading...
Associated Publications
Delineation of breast cancer cell hierarchy identifies the subset responsible for dormancy
by Shyam A. Patel, Shakti H. Ramkissoon, Margarette Bryan, +6
Scientific Reports (05 February, 2013)